Abercamlo Bog

Radnorshire Wildlife Trust

A wet heathy pasture with scrub and basin mires formed after deglaciation 10,000 years ago

The special interest of this reserve lies in the basin mires, which contain several species of Sphagnum Moss, as well as species such as round-leaved sundew, cranberry, bogbean and marsh cinquefoil. There has been much debate over how and when they were formed. The general consensus is leaning towards them being kettle holes. They are preserved by regularly pulling and cutting willow and birch saplings, because if these were allowed to develop the mires would gradually dry out and the associated flora and fauna lost.

The dry heathy pastures as well as some of the other wetter hollows contain a mixture of species including common valerian, petty whin, dyer's greenweed, devil's-bit scabious, heather, cross-leaved heath and marsh pennywort. Gorse and downy birch are common.

Birds include typical scrub species such as long-tailed tit, blackcap and garden warbler. Willow warbler and chiffchaff are common in spring and summer. Reed bunting and yellow hammer breed in some years. Butterflies include orange tip, small pearl-bordered fritillary, common blue, meadow brown and ringlet.